Conventionally, there is an image processing device for displaying a part of a panorama image or an omnidirectional image on a display device.
However, the above-described image processing device cannot acquire a stereoscopic panorama image.
Accordingly, an object of the example embodiment is to provide an image generation method, an image display method, a storage medium storing an image generation program, an image generation system and an image display device capable of generating and/or displaying a stereoscopic panorama image.
In order to achieve the above object, the example embodiment may adopt, for example, the following structures. It is understood that for interpreting the recitations of the claims, the range thereof is to be interpreted only based on the recitations of the claims, and that in the case where the recitations of the claims are contradictory to the description of the specification, the recitations of the claims are given priority.
The present disclosure provides one structural embodiment of an image generation method for generating a stereoscopic panorama image. The image generation method comprises acquiring a left panorama image and a right panorama image respectively captured by a left panorama camera and a right panorama camera which are located so as to be away from each other by a prescribed distance; synthesizing a rearward image area, of a rearward area, included in the right panorama image and captured by the right panorama camera to the left panorama image, instead of a rearward image area, of the rearward area, included in the left panorama image and captured by the left panorama camera; synthesizing the rearward image area, of the rearward area, included in the left panorama image and captured by the left panorama camera to the right panorama image, instead of the rearward image area, of the rearward area, included in the right panorama image and captured by the right panorama camera; and generating the stereoscopic panorama image using the synthesized left panorama image as a left-eye image and using the synthesized right panorama image as a right-eye image.
The “panorama moving image” described above may have an angle of field which is equal to or greater larger than 180° in one of an up-down direction and a left-right direction. Further, the “panorama moving image” may have an angle of field of 360° in one of the directions. In the other direction, the “panorama moving image” may have an angle of field which is equal to or greater than that of the moving image to be displayed on the first display device. Further, the “panorama moving image” may have an angle of field which is equal to or greater than twice the angle of field of the moving image, equal to or greater than 120°, equal to or greater than 150°, or 180°.
According to the above, the phenomenon that the parallax is inverted in a panorama image of a rearward area captured by the left panorama camera and the right panorama camera can be prevented, and even such a panorama image of the rearward area can be displayed stereoscopically.
The image generation method may further comprise synthesizing a rightward image area, of a rightward area, included in the right panorama image and captured by the right panorama camera to the left panorama image, instead of a rightward image area, of the rightward area, included in the left panorama image and captured by the left panorama camera; and synthesizing a leftward image area, of a leftward area, included in the left panorama image and captured by the left panorama camera to the right panorama image, instead of a leftward image area, of the leftward area, included in the right panorama image and captured by the right panorama camera. In this case, the stereoscopic panorama image may be generated using, as the left-eye image, the left panorama image including the synthesized rightward image area of the rightward area captured by the right panorama camera and using, as the right-eye image, the right panorama image including the synthesized leftward image area of the leftward area captured by the left panorama camera.
According to the above, even when in the leftward area or the rightward area where the image is not easily viewed stereoscopically due to a relatively small parallax, a panorama image captured by the panorama camera on the different side is used, the influence on the stereoscopic appearance of the displayed panorama image is small. Therefore, in the case where, for example, the image-capturing area where the field of view is blocked by the panorama camera on the different side or another device is at least a part of the leftward area or the rightward area, the panorama image can be displayed with the dead angle area being removed.
The image generation method may further comprise synthesizing, instead of a right dead angle image area which is included in the left panorama image and in which an image of the right panorama camera is captured, an image area which is included in the right panorama image and corresponds to the right dead angle image area to the left panorama image; and synthesizing, instead of a left dead angle image area which is included in the right panorama image and in which an image of the left panorama camera is captured, an image area which is included in the left panorama image and corresponds to the left dead angle image area to right panorama image. In this case, the stereoscopic panorama image may be generated using, as the left-eye image, the left panorama image including the synthesized image area corresponding to the right dead angle image area and using, as the right-eye image, the right panorama image including the synthesized image area corresponding to the left dead angle image area.
According to the above, in an image-capturing area where the field of view is blocked by the panorama camera on the different side, an image of the image-capturing area captured by the panorama camera on the different side is used. Thus, the dead angle area in the panorama image can be removed.
A structural example of an image display method according to the example embodiment may comprise displaying, on a display device, the stereoscopic panorama image generated by the above-described image generation method.
According to the above, a stereoscopic panorama image can be displayed, and even a panorama image of the rearward area can be displayed stereoscopically.
The image display method may further comprise setting a display range, of the stereoscopic panorama image, which is to be displayed on the display device in accordance with an attitude of the display device. In this case, the set display range of the stereoscopic panorama image may be displayed on the display device.
According to the above, the range of the panorama image to be displayed is changed in accordance with the attitude of the display device. Therefore, the user can view the panorama image by making an operation intuitively.
The example embodiment may be implemented in the form of a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing an image generation program for allowing a computer to execute each of the above-described operations, an image generation system including a unit for performing each of the above-described operations, or an image display device for displaying an image generated by the above-described operations.
According to the example embodiment, the phenomenon that the parallax is inverted in a panorama image of a rearward area captured by a left panorama camera and a right panorama camera can be prevented, and even such a panorama image of the rearward area can be displayed stereoscopically.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the example embodiment will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.